Purpose: To present contact-angle measurements of commercially available intraocular lenses (IOLs) in air and in water to facilitate the understanding of how various IOLs might interact in different environments.
Setting: Laboratory.
Methods: Five commercially available IOLs were studied: AMO DuraLens PS-59NB. AMO PhacoFlex SI-26NB, AMO PhacoFlex II SI-30NB, Chiron ChiroFlex C10UB, and Alcon AcrySof MA60BM. The AMO soft acrylic model AR40, currently under clinical study, was also evaluated. Contact-angle measurements were made in air and in water using sessile drop and captive bubble methods.
Results: The sessile drop method indicated that all materials were hydrophobic in air. The captive bubble method differentiated materials based on their polar and dispersive forces.
Conclusion: Contact-angle measurements differed depending on the test conditions. Proper choice of contact-angle measurement method can generate useful information about a material surface and its potential biomaterial interactions.